Microsoft is once again planning to alter the way its Start Screen works in Windows 8.1 Update 1. While the software giant originally released Windows 8.1 last year with an option to bypass the "Metro" interface at boot, sources familiar with Microsoft's plans have revealed to The Verge that the upcoming "Update 1" for Windows 8.1 will enable this by default. Like many other changes in Update 1, we’re told the reason for the reversal is to improve the OS for keyboard and mouse users.

Wow, a touch interface does not work with a mouse and keyboard. Who saw that coming.

Gimpshop? Afaik it works very well, and if you can stand the Photoshop UI you would probably do very well with gimpshop. It is still gimp, but the ui is reworked to suit switchers from the Adobe Suite.